Poseidon squinted towards the sea where Triton went in to find the turtle. Percy was standing besides him shivering. They stood on the boat, doing a rescue call for a turtle. Normally he would just leave Percy at the aquarium to help run it, but he didn't want to leave him alone.
The poisoning of Triton's water bottle was four days ago, and Poseidon has had a hard time of not letting either of his sons out of his sight.
This was the first time since the incident he's been out of the house. Poseidon's patience is running thin and he couldn't take one more day in the house. He thought that taking his sons out of the house will ease their rambunctious behavior.
The last two days were full of bickering between his two sons. So far bringing them to the rescue brought no fighting. Poseidon is relieved, his headache couldn't take one more fight.
"What am I supposed to do?" Percy asked wrapping his arms around himself.
"Well once we get the turtle on the boat, we'll inspect it for any wounds. The call said the turtle got a hold of a straw into it's nasal passage, which we will remove."
Poseidon kept his eye on the water, any moment now Triton should come up.
Poseidon's timing couldn't be more correct as Triton resurface with the turtle in his hands. He hurriedly put the turtle on the boat, before beelining to the boat's cabin.
Poseidon kneeled down where the turtle was laid. He has taught Triton how do these, but not Percy.
"Alright so this is where we check the turtle. You see on the turtle's right fin there's a tracker?"
Percy nodded.
"That means we have rescued this turtle before.
Which is why we were able to find the location pretty quickly."
Poseidon flipped the turtle over to examine the underneath of the shell, "It appears it's just the straw for being the only affliction. Hand me a pair of pliers."
Percy grabbed the pliers and put it in Poseidon's open palm.
"You want to grip the turtle firmly with one hand. The turtle will probably resist as we slide the straw out, it's essential to have a firm grip on the turtle. With the pliers you're going to clamp it down on the end of the straw, like so" Poseidon said as he demonstrated.
"Then start to gently pull it, you don't want the straw to break if you pull too fast."
Poseidon started to pull. He felt as the turtle squirm underneath his grip, but kept a firm hold. He pulled for a good ten seconds before the straw gave way.
"Now that's done, and the turtle doesn't have any further injuries, we will release it. Put that straw into the bin."
Poseidon released the turtle back into the ocean and watch it swim away, while Percy put the straw into the bin.
"Now this is the part where we go inside, and get away from this wretched weather."
Poseidon took off towards the cabin with Percy trailing behind.
Poseidon baked in the warmth of the boat cabin. Triton sat in his usual seat, with a scowl on his face. The same scowl that has graced his face for the last four days. Triton has always been grumpy whenever he catches a virus, or has an allergic attack. Though his moods don't usually last this long.
"Is there any calls you don't take? Or is there a point where it isn't worth the catch?" Percy grumbled.
"There's always worth, son. But we usually don't go to the ones that are small, or can be release back into the wild right after capture during the winter season. The reason why we answered this one is because the turtle was spotted to have a tracker."
Percy rubbed his hands up and down his arms trying to regain some warmth. Poseidon felt a twinge of regret bringing his son on a rescue as he isn't used to the northern winters as he spent the winter seasons in California. It wasn't more than a twinge, as if he did leave his son at the aquarium he couldn't watch him.
"Why are you complaining? It isn't like you went into the water" Triton sneered.
Poseidon closed his eyes, sending a prayer to anyone listening for Percy not to respond. He will reprimand Triton later.
Triton grabbed his water bottle but before he drank, he inspected the water.
"At least I'm not the one who's paranoid to drink from a water bottle." Percy egged on.
Poseidon felt his headache spike to a new level. He sent another prayer for them to listen.
"Boys! Enough! Percy sit down and be quiet. Triton is right to check, you could never be too careful."
"He started it."
"Perseus! Sit. Down!" Poseidon said through clenched teeth.
Nevertheless Percy complied, which Poseidon was grateful for. However, glancing towards his eldest, he had to bite his lip to control a new wave of anger.
"Get that smirk off that face Triton! You two have been behaving for almost six months! Yet these last four days it seems like all reserve has been shut off. Pull yourself together, this isn't the time to be bickering."
Poseidon's ears perked at the sound of Percy letting a breath out, the breath signaling he is about to argue.
"Perseus, I swear if you're about to say 'he's the one who starts it' then you can shut your mouth."
Percy shut his mouth, crossing his arms.
Poseidon put his hand over his eyes in frustration. "Alright, we're going back to the aquarium. I don't want to hear a single peep from either one of you. Do I make myself clear?"
Percy nodded slouching back into his seat.
"Yes sir." Triton replied sarcastically.
The nerve of that boy! Poseidon glowered at his eldest.
Poseidon didn't say a word as if he did, his strong vocabulary would make itself known. He started the boat, and took off to shore.
Poseidon wore a frown as he entered the aquarium. His headache didn't go away as he was hoping it would have.
His sons weren't having a better time as both of them were sulking.
Delphin was standing at the entrance with a smile. Poseidon was puzzled by his expression after their earlier discussion, but figured Delphin forced the smile to make the boys feel comfortable.
"How was the rescue?"
Poseidon wasn't sure how to answer as it was a successful rescue, but it wasn't a great time.
"I'm taking that as not well. If your father doesn't have anything for you to do, Percy. I can take you for the last examination of Bessie."
Poseidon waved Percy to do what Delphin suggested. He already pulled Nerus and Delphin aside this morning, informing them that under no circumstance could either Percy or Triton to be left alone. They of course had questions, which led to Poseidon explaining everything that went down for the last three months.
Percy trailed after the energetic veterinarian as Delphin explained what they were about to do.
Nerus came to where Poseidon and Triton were standing carrying tank cleaning supplies, and set them down at the nearby table.
"Where's Percy?"
"Delphin is showing him Bessie's final check up. What still needs to be done today?" Poseidon asked.
"I haven't gotten to the feedings yet."
"Alright, Triton and I will do the feedings."
Poseidon signaled for Triton to follow him. Triton rolled his eyes but followed, grumbling under his breath.
Poseidon's patience is now thinner than a strand of hair. Poseidon straighten his shoulders in attempts to control the swelling rage pumping through his veins.
Poseidon ignored his son's muttering, while grabbing the small shrimp and plankton in the cooler and handing it to his son.
Triton took the food and headed over where they keep Bruce the whale shark. Bruce is currently the largest creature the had at the rescue, as Bruce grew up to thirty eight feet in length.
One of the most asked questions Poseidon ever got about his rescue was did they keep any Great Whites? He would expect children to ask that, but the majority of the people who asked are volunteers.
The answer was obviously no. No Great White could survive captivity. Japan tried, but the shark only lasted three days before it died.
Bruce on the other hand could survive captivity, and if released back into the wild it would probably be a death sentence.
They first caught Bruce when he was a baby. Both of his eyes were gouged out and there was several cuts and scaring in the filter pads throughout his mouth, which made feeding very difficult for Bruce. They had to remodel the aquarium and build and expansion to make a big enough tank for Bruce to grow in.
Triton tossed the small shrimp and plankton into Bruce's tank.
"You know it would go a lot faster if we would feed the animals separately rather than together."
"Don't push it Triton" Poseidon sighed.
Triton turned around with an eyebrow raised, "Well I mean... You do realize that I'm of legal age and can watch out for myself-"
"Triton I said not to push it."
"-I don't need a babysitter. I do have to go back to school. After all I'm leaving the country in six months-"
"That is it! I have had it with you! You never listen! For goodness sake you almost died four days ago! Both of your epipens failed, and if the ambulance didn't get there in time...
All I ask is for you to take it seriously. You've been very nonchalant with all of this, or you give off the impression that you don't care-"
Poseidon stopped his rant with a frown as the last sentence Triton spoke registered with him. "What do you mean you're leaving the country in six months?"
Triton shrugged, "I got an email a couple of weeks ago. I got accepted to James Cook University."
Poseidon stared at his eldest agape, "Thee James Cook University? The one in Australia?"
Triton snorted, "I believe that's the only James Cook University."
"That is the number one ranking school for Marine Biology in the world. You got in?"
Triton nodded slowly while using a paper towel to wipe off the shrimp and plankton remnants from his hands. "Apparently."
"Apparently! You found out a couple of weeks ago! Why am I now hearing about this? Does your mother even know?"
Triton shook his head, "Not yet."
"Were you ever going to tell us? Or were you just waiting for me to explode to pop the news in?"
"I did mean to tell you earlier, but the whole olive thing kinda of spoiled the plans. Can you just pretend that I didn't say anything until I tell mom?" Triton pleaded.
"You better tell her tonight! I don't know how long I can keep this a secret." Poseidon tried to be stern, but couldn't help the grin plastered to his face.
All of the built up anger Poseidon held dissipated as well as his headache.
Poseidon engulfed his son in a bear hug. "Congratulations !"
"Do we really have to this here?" Triton squeaked out not used to this affection.
Poseidon chuckled "There's is nobody in this room but us and Bruce. There are no witnesses as Bruce is blind."
Percy followed Delphin to where they kept Bessie.
Bessie is a sea cow, well in marine biology terms; a manatee. They rescued her about a four weeks ago, and have been monitoring her in her tank. She was trapped in a fishing net, resulting in several cuts and abrasions.
"Alrighty then, let's go grab her food and I'll show you her progress."
Delphin led him to the cooler, much to Percy's dismay. Percy hasn't been alone, or allowed to be alone in the past four days. Well except for his bedroom, but did that really count? He suspected his father is telling his employees to not let him out of their sight.
Nevertheless Percy followed the veterinarian into the cooler. Delphin grabbed some sea plants as manatees are herbivores.
"So we will take the plants and feed Bessie. While feeding her, we will need to scan her to see if the cuts are fully healed. The last time I checked it was nearly there, which is why I'm confident it will be the last examination."
Delphin led him to Bessie tank as the sea cow floated to the surface.
"Hey girl, are you hungry?" Delphin asked in a high pitch voice, a voice used when parents speak to baby. Percy rolled his eyes.
Delphin handed him the food, "Now signal the manatee to roll over with your hands. That way I'll be able to see her cut."
Percy signaled the manatee to roll over, and Bessie did.
Delphin signaled for Percy to come where he was crouching. Percy crouched down to have a better view.
"You remember the cut she was brought in with, right? Well you see now, it has healed into a nice scar right above her fin. Her other cuts have already been healed weeks ago, but this one is now closed."
Delphin took the food from his hands and started to feed the manatee.
"She should be able to be released in a week from now. We will keep her here for that amount of time as precaution, in case something else happens. But other than that she healed up nicely."
To Percy's annoyance, Delphin switched back to his higher pitch voice. "Isn't that right girl?You healed up nicely, and you will be able to eat all the plants you want! Isn't that right?"
Five Days Later
"You've been gone for a week and a half, Jackson. Luckily for you I have been busy keeping up with this project. You can share my notes if you want."
Percy closed his eyes. He forgot about the assigned project with Luke. Percy closed his locker, and faced Luke who was leaning against the lockers opposite of him.
"You're here early. Do you usually come this early?" Percy asked as it was ten minutes til six in the morning.
"No, but I'll make an exception for you. Should we do it like how you and Annabeth did for your project last semester? Buddy up and tell all of our secrets to each other? Maybe we will become more than friends, if you get my catch?"
"Absolutely not! We will work on the project during class only. Annabeth and I worked on the project professionally, nothing else happened. No offense to you, but I don't swing that way."
Luke let out a laugh that sent chills down Percy's spine. "Oh so you do share Triton's lack of observation skills. How is he by the way? I haven't seen him this morning. I knew you to be oblivious, but I wasn't expecting this much oblivion. You really can't see it?"
Percy frowned, not liking where this was going. "Can't see what?"
"Annabeth of course! She's into you, anyone can see it."
Percy snorted, "Nice try. She hates me, if it was any other project she would have failed with me as a partner. You would know if you spent a day with her, she doesn't take her grades lightly."
"Oh, but I do know. You seem to forget that Thalia and I were a thing. Annabeth is always at her side, so yes I've spent days with her before. You know, she used to fancy me before Thalia and I dated. You can tell by the way her eyes light up and how she blushes. "
Luke chuckled, "I'll leave you to it then. She's in the cafeteria, watch her face. I'll see you in fifth hour, Jackson."
Luke smirked before heading down the hallway. Percy let out a shudder, something about him made Percy ill. Maybe that's why Triton warned him about Luke.
There's no avoiding him now, since he's assigned to the project with him. Whatever this feeling was, he isn't looking forward to fifth hour.
He headed towards the cafeteria, as there was nothing else for him to do.
Annabeth is into him? Nah, there's no way! Luke is delusional, or playing some weird trick on him.
"Does your family do that often. A sight of something dangerous and you are all out for a week? - What's wrong? It looks like you just saw a ghost?" Annabeth stated as she sat at the usual spot at the table.
Percy had his mouth slightly open as he stared at Annabeth's redden cheeks and her sparkling eyes.
Bruce - The Great White Shark in Finding Nemo. For the reason Poseidon listed above, I couldn't have it be a great white. Whale sharks are the largest shark species that are held in aquariums.
